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Most singers arrive at choir with a warm-up routine carefully prepared and leave the rehearsal hall with nothing more than a quick goodbye. Yet the ninety minutes you have just spent singing high phrases, holding long notes and pushing through dense harmonies have left your vocal folds warm, swollen with blood flow and working hard. They need to come down gently, just as a runner slows to a walk after a race rather than stopping dead at the finish line.
A cool down is not about achieving anything or improving your range. It is about returning your voice to its resting state gradually, easing the muscles of the larynx out of intense activity, and reducing the stiffness and hoarseness that often show up the following morning. Five to ten minutes is usually enough, and the benefits are felt most keenly by altos and basses who have been singing at the bottom of their range all evening, and by sopranos who have been living above the stave.
The simplest and most effective cool down begins with a hum. Close your lips, let your jaw hang loose, and hum on a comfortably low pitch — somewhere around your speaking range, not your singing range. Keep the sound quiet, barely more than a mumble, and feel the buzz in your lips and nose rather than forcing it in your throat.
Hum for thirty seconds or so, pause, and repeat. If you can manage it, hum a slow descending five-note pattern, like the first line of a scale played downwards, on a soft "mmm". This encourages the vocal folds to vibrate with the least possible effort while the surrounding muscles begin to relax. Many singers find that humming also clears the sensation of tightness that builds up after a demanding rehearsal.
If humming feels scratchy or uncomfortable, switch to a lip trill — the raspberry sound children make — or a gentle voiced "vvv". These give the folds a massage-like workout without any pressure to produce a beautiful tone.
The direction of your cool down matters. Singing upwards after a rehearsal keeps the voice in an excited, elevated state, which is the opposite of what you want. Instead, work downwards in pitch, letting each phrase settle lower than the last.
A good rule of thumb is that the last sound you make should be quieter and lower than the first. If you find yourself straining or reaching, you have gone past the point of helpfulness.
What you do immediately after rehearsal matters as much as the cool down itself. Your vocal folds are still engorged and vulnerable, and the worst thing you can do is head straight to the pub and shout over the noise, or spend the drive home belting along to the radio.
Aim for a quiet half hour. Speak softly, if at all. Avoid raising your voice, laughing loudly, or singing along to anything. If you are in a car with fellow choir members, this is the moment to let someone else lead the conversation.
One important warning: do not whisper. Whispering is often recommended as a way of resting the voice, but it actually places more strain on the vocal folds than normal speech, because the folds squeeze together tightly without producing sound efficiently. Gentle, relaxed speech at a low volume is far kinder than a conspiratorial whisper.
Also resist the temptation to clear your throat repeatedly. That harsh, scraping action slams the folds together. Sipping water or swallowing gently will usually do the job instead.
Cooling down is easier when your voice is well lubricated. Drink water steadily through the evening, and keep a glass by the bed. Warm drinks — herbal tea, warm water with honey, or simply hot water with lemon — can soothe a tired throat, though nothing replaces plain hydration. Alcohol and strong coffee are best avoided straight after singing, as both are diuretic and can leave the folds drier than before.
A steamy shower or a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head can help loosen any residue that has gathered overnight. Gentle neck and shoulder stretches, plus a few slow rolls of the head, release the tension that creeps into the upper body during a long sing. If you can, sleep with the window slightly open or a humidifier running, particularly in winter when central heating dries the air.
The best cool down is the one you actually do. Try attaching it to something that already happens at the end of choir night: the walk to the car, the wait for the bus, the five minutes before you go to bed. Hum while you take your shoes off. Do a descending glide while the kettle boils.
Over a term, these small rituals add up. Singers who cool down consistently tend to report less morning hoarseness, faster recovery between rehearsals and greater stamina in the weeks before a concert. Your voice gives generously every week — a few quiet minutes at the end of the evening is a small thank-you, and one it will repay warmly.
Red Notes Choir shares practical, down-to-earth guidance on community choir and choral singing for readers across the UK.
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